30. Unemployment arising from technological change or changed demand for particular products is what kind?
[UPSC CDS (I) – 16 April 2023]
(A) Frictional
(B) Structural
(C) Cyclical
(D) Disguised
Answer: (B) Structural
Explanation: Structural unemployment follows lasting shifts in production and skill requirements. Workers trained for declining technologies may not possess the abilities needed in expanding industries. Retraining and mobility can help address the mismatch, unlike cyclical unemployment caused mainly by short-term demand contraction.
29. Which of these broad sectors has historically generated the most employment in India?
[SSC CGL (Tier II AAO) – 27 October 2023]
(A) Manufacturing
(B) Primary
(C) Services
(D) Secondary
Answer: (B) Primary
Explanation: The primary sector, especially agriculture, has traditionally supported the largest number of Indian workers. This does not imply it contributes the largest share of GDP. Services may dominate value added while employing a relatively smaller proportion of the workforce.
28. Which activity belongs in the tertiary sector?
[SSC CHSL – 11 August 2023]
(A) Mining and quarrying
(B) Water supply infrastructure
(C) Electricity generation
(D) Hotels and restaurants
Answer: (D) Hotels and restaurants
Explanation: Hotels and restaurants supply lodging and food-service experiences to consumers. These belong to tertiary economic activity. Mining extracts natural resources, while electricity and water utilities are treated differently in industrial accounts; the clear services example here is hospitality.
27. Identify the activity that does not belong to the service sector.
[SSC CHSL – 7 August 2023]
(A) Hotels and restaurants
(B) Construction
(C) Banking and insurance
(D) Transport and communications
Answer: (B) Construction
Explanation: Construction is principally an industry producing built structures, making it part of the secondary sector. Hospitality, financial intermediation and transportation instead provide services to households and enterprises. The exam asks for the sole non-service activity in the list.
26. What term denotes the lowest sustainable unemployment level consistent with non-accelerating inflation?
[SSC MTS (2022 cycle) – 12 May 2023]
(A) Structural
(B) Disguised
(C) Natural
(D) Frictional
Answer: (C) Natural
Explanation: The natural rate captures frictional and structural unemployment that may persist even when aggregate demand is balanced. It is closely related to the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment, although estimates are uncertain and vary with labour-market institutions and technology.
25. Which formula calculates the unemployment rate?
[SSC MTS (2022 cycle) – 13 June 2023]
(A) Employed persons ÷ labour force × 100
(B) Unemployed persons ÷ labour force × 100
(C) Unemployed men ÷ labour force × 1,000
(D) Employed persons ÷ male labour force × 100
Answer: (B) Unemployed persons ÷ labour force × 100
Explanation: The denominator includes both employed and unemployed individuals participating in the labour force. People outside the labour force are excluded. Dividing the number unemployed by this total and multiplying by 100 gives the unemployment rate expressed as a percentage.
24. Which Rajasthan service subsector contributed the greatest share of service-sector GSVA at current prices in 2022–23?
[Rajasthan RAS Prelims – 2023]
(A) Transport, storage and communications
(B) Trade, hotels and restaurants
(C) Real estate, dwellings and professional services
(D) Financial services
Answer: (B) Trade, hotels and restaurants
Explanation: In Rajasthan’s 2022–23 service-sector composition, trade, hotels and restaurants had the largest share among the listed categories. This reflects commercial and tourism-related activity in the state. The question concerns contributions within services, not across the entire state economy.
23. Skill India was introduced in which year as a national skill-training initiative?
[SSC GD (2022 cycle) – 23 January 2023]
(A) 2017
(B) 2015
(C) 2010
(D) 2012
Answer: (B) 2015
Explanation: Skill India began in 2015 to improve workforce capabilities and industry-linked employability. The initiative seeks to connect training and certification with labour-market needs. It should be distinguished from Startup India, launched in January 2016 to support entrepreneurship.
22. High-level work that creates, reorganises and interprets knowledge and ideas is described as which type of activity?
[UPSC NDA (II) GAT – 4 September 2022]
(A) Quaternary
(B) Quinary
(C) Tertiary
(D) Secondary
Answer: (B) Quinary
Explanation: Quinary activities refer to senior decision-making and advanced intellectual functions, including top-level policy and leadership. Quaternary activities usually emphasise information processing and specialised knowledge services. The question focuses on creation and interpretation of ideas at a higher decision-making level.
21. Which is not generally counted as an advantage of e-commerce?
[SSC CGL – 2 December 2022]
(A) Cost efficiency
(B) Delayed responses to customer needs
(C) A wider choice
(D) Improved customer service
Answer: (B) Delayed responses to customer needs
Explanation: E-commerce can reduce search costs and extend product choice and customer access. Prompt digital response is usually a strength, not a disadvantage. A delay in responding to customer requirements undermines service quality, so it cannot be listed among the benefits.
